January Writing Prompts for People with Chronic Illnesses & Disabilities

Set Fear Alight, and Take That Flame of Hope into the New Year

Here we are, at the start of a new chapter in our lives, with the January writing prompts to help organise some thoughts. 2020 has now been dubbed the year of the pandemic, where life stood at a semi-standstill for the modern world. We are so used to high speed, spontaneous travel, instant gratification, with easy access to material goods. There have been some scary moments in 2020 where our basic needs were unmet, something we’re unused to in modern society, yet prevalent in third world nations.

Let’s take this fear from 2020, set it alight with a small flame, and carry that light with hope into 2021. Happy writing and as always, I can’t wait to read every single one of your takes on the January writing prompts!

January 2021 Awareness Dates

• Cervical Health Awareness Month
• Glaucoma Awareness Month
• National Birth Defects Prevention Month
• Thyroid Awareness Month

• World Braille Day (04 January 2021)
• Paget’s Awareness Day (11 January 2021)
• STiQ Day (14 January 2021)
• World Leprosy Day (31 January 2021)

*Note: This is not a comprehensive list. Let me know if I missed anything out and I’ll add it in!

What The January Writing Prompts are About & How to Participate

The linkups are a monthly get together for anyone with a chronic illness, mental disorder or disability. An opportunity to share, to listen, and to learn from one another through shared writing prompts. I also think it’s a great way to provide insight into life with chronic pain, from many different points of view.

All you have to do is write using at least three of the writing prompts listed below, and publish it on your blog, or to a free writing platform like Medium. Then click on the blue ‘Add Link’ button to add your blog post to this page. Voilà, you’re now part of the linkup party!

A Few Simple Rules for the January Writing Prompts

• Only one link submission per website.
• Do comment on at least two other blog posts in this linkup if you participate. Helping to spread the word on your social media is always appreciated, but not required.
• Linkups start on the first of every month. There will be five different writing prompts. It will close at the end of each month before midnight. All timings listed are in Singapore time (+8 GMT).
• Pick at least three of the writing prompts to write about. Five is best, of course! 😉 You can write about your latest experiences with chronic illness, or even turn it into an evergreen blog post.
• Insert a link to this post when you submit your blog entry for auto verification.
• Failure to follow these rules might get you blacklisted from future linkups. Let’s keep it fair for all 🙂

2021 January Writing Prompts

1. Beginning
   Well, it’s the New Year, which is usually the best time for new beginnings, or at least a change in mindset! A breath of psychological fresh air. How are you stepping into the new year? Are you starting any new projects, or marking growth in your garden or personal life? Or maybe you are beginning to despair, feel unrest, or frustration at a health condition, or the endless lockdown with no end in sight.
2. Symbolising
   Symbols can be wonderful reminders of things that matter in our lives. Do you have a symbol for the new year, or does the new year symbolise something for you? Perhaps you have or plan to get a tattoo as a symbol to yourself, or have set a goal or task to symbolise certain changes. Perhaps your art or writing represents your internal, emotional state. Or you could be trying to decipher some symbols you think the universe has thrown your way.
3. Enduring
   2020 has been a pretty gruelling year, hasn’t it?! A lot of endurance was involved in so many ways – enduring the unpredictability and unknowns, enduring selfish people, enduring ignorance and stupidity, etc. Patience throughout the pandemic and in the new year is essential to retain sanity of mind.

   So many have broken down from the lack of social interaction, or being stuck at home with others (sometimes you just need a break!). And also the neverending things to worry about from finances, to groceries, medications, public health, hygiene and more. What have you found the most difficult to endure? What are your thoughts about endurance in general?

4. Revealing
   I think the past year has revealed certain ableist mindsets that were existent within society, yet could be semi-buried in a guise of being humane. The pandemic has indeed brought out both the best and worst of humanity, and in those around us.

   You might have also dawned on certain revelations or epiphanies, or plan to reveal a secret to someone or to us! Or perhaps a medical scan has revealed something unsettling, or a new diagnosis. You could also be revealing certain parts of who you are as a person or your body, in a bid for awareness or personal growth. Or perhaps some plants are revealing their green shoots past the soil, even!

5. Gracing
   This is one of my favourite words, or concepts, for some reason. I adore elegance. There is something feminine and powerful about it, at least to me. It takes endurance to survive chronic pain, and step out of the repeated ordeals with grace, burnt but still beautiful. How will you be showing yourself grace this new year? Or perhaps someone or something is gracing an event or the year for you (or even the other way around 😉 ).

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